A personal record by nn sukhanov this book was necessary reading for all early historians of the revolution. Thus one could say the book is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause itswithin russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. This meeting is recorded as the january plenum of the central committee. In finland, lenin had worked on his book state and revolution and. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The author draws on interviews and on other kinds of now unavailable documents to produce a work that remains a unique view of early soviet russia. Within an overall narrative that provides a clear description of the 1917 revolution, he introduces several new approaches on its political history and the complexity of the october revolution. He is the author most recently of the russian revolution and the. Violence was rife in russia even before the first world war and two revolutions of 1917, with international war russojapanese war 190405, insurrection. In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and changed the course of world history. Sprawling, capitivating show russian warships marked by royal navy as they sail english channel.
Its premise is that the perspectives of the post1945 period are not adequate to understand the international setting of the revolution in world war i, the great depression, and the rise of fascism. What happened during the russian revolution of 1917. Sep 29, 2012 russian revolution can mean three things. Dec 15, 2009 a quick summary of the russian revolution in 1917. One hundred years ago, in february 1917, the russian revolution erupted in frigid st. Petersburg and moscow were striking and rioting for higher food rations.
Between 1900 and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. From the final years of the last tsars of russia to the establishment of the. The revolution can be viewed in two distinct phases. Schapiro, late emeritus professor of political science at the london school of economics the communist party of the soviet union, was an oldfashioned sort of sovietologistthe kind that fixes squarely on individuals to explain why and how things happen. The first comprehensive history of these momentous events in two decades, the russian revolution combines cuttingedge scholarship and a fastpaced narrative to shed new light on one of the most significant turning points of the twentieth century. A series published on the centenary of the russian revolution. I would, in addition, recommend simon sebag montefiores the romanovs. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue. The russian revolution, 19171945 by anthony dagostino. Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 191its a view from the top and a view in isolation. Leon trotsky the history of the russian revolution volume. The russian revolution 1917 in january, 1910, nineteen leaders of the world revolutionary movement met in london.
Wade clears away many of the myths and misconceptions that have clouded studies of the period. Two definitive works on the early days of the russian revolution, now collected in one captivating volume. The constituent assembly was to first meet on 28 november o. Free uk delivery on book orders dispatched by amazon over. The october revolution, commonly referred to as the bolshevik coup, the bolshevik revolution. New books reflect on the russian revolution, 100 years. The russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of world war i, the. The russian revolution, 1917 is an excellent introduction to the history of that fateful year, and recommended for casual readers and beginners interested in the subject. Russians had long discussed revolution and by late 1916 a sense existed across the entire political and social spectrum that some kind of upheaval could happen at any time. The fate of the revolution in russia depended fully upon international. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness. The russian revolution was a period of political and social revolution across the territory of the russian empire, commencing with the abolition of the monarchy in 1917, and concluding in 1923 after the bolshevik establishment of the soviet union at the end of the civil war.
The russian revolution was a period of political and social revolution across the territory of the russian empire, commencing with the abolition of the monarchy in 1917. Revolution threatens and inna feldman is drawn into intrigue concerning rasputin and also a love triangle in a pageturning novel. It is clear that the events of 1917, whatever you think of them, deserve study. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin. This book is a richly detailed account of the russian revolution from the fall of the tsar in march 1917 to the introduction of the new economic policy in march 1921. The best books on the russian revolution london evening. His sevenvolume book, first published in 1922, was suppressed under stalin. Many of the soldiers refused to suppress the insurgents. Mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world. Russian revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. Top ten books about the russian revolution historia. It claims the lives of more than 10 million peoplefive times more than the number of russian casualties in the first world war, which the bolsheviks promised to end. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the russian revolution.
A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. The october revolution had followed and capitalized on the february revolution. Violence and terror in the russian revolution the british library. Jan 29, 2020 the russian revolution s of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. The russian revolution of 1917 was a political movement in russia that climaxed in 1917 with the overthrow of the provisional government that had replaced the russian tsar system, and led to the establishment of the soviet union, which lasted until its collapse in 1991. The history of a revolution, like every other history, ought. He also explains how its main protagonist, lenin, was. List of books and articles about russian revolution. The russian revolution, 1917 new approaches to european. Jun 01, 2017 drawing on his extensive knowledge of russian and german history, mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world war. A guide to the russian revolution centenary celebrations in london revolution.
At this time, russia was being goverend by tzar nicholas ii. Fortunately for historians of the revolution, he writes, the years since 1991 have seen an explosion of research into russias military performance in world war i from 1914 to 1917. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of world war i, the bolsheviks staged a hostile takeover of the. Russian revolution 1917 29 books meet your next favorite book. Apr 21, 2005 the russian revolution, 1917 is an excellent introduction to the history of that fateful year, and recommended for casual readers and beginners interested in the subject. The viewpoint in the present book is mostly that of the ultrareactionary. Now in a new edition, this provocative, highly readable work presents a fascinating look at events that culminated in the russian revolution.
The russian revolution of february 1917 marc ferro snippet view 1972. Just over a century ago, on february 22, 1917 using the russian julian calendar which was days behind the west, began the civil protests and strikes in petrograd that would topple tsar. February revolution june offensive july days october revolution. Reed died in 1920, shortly after the book was finished.
Focusing on the revolution in its widest sense, sheila fitzpatrick covers not only the events of 1917 and what preceded them, but the social transformations brought about by the bolsheviks. Rex wade presents an account of one of the pivotal events of modern history, combining his own long study of the revolution with the best of contemporary scholarship. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. Leaflets of the russian revolution new translations of the most important documents from socialist parties, soviets, and worker militias in petrograd during 1917. List of books and articles about russian revolution online. Sukhanov, a left menshevik hostile to lenin, was actually. The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The history of the russian revolution volume one the overthrow of tzarism online version.
For the first time in history, russian women, who ushered in the era of the russian revolution, win the right to divorce. Mar 10, 2017 revolution threatens and inna feldman is drawn into intrigue concerning rasputin and also a love triangle in a pageturning novel. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution. Mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world war. He is the author most recently of the russian revolution and the great war. Even public officials are shy of commemorating that part of the. In just 3 years, russian women would again be the first in history to win the right to maternity leave of 4 months, along with a litany of other rights establishing true gender equality. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the russian revolution.
The last of the tsars and a new history robert service dearly wants to indict lenin for the murder of the tsar but has to admit there is no direct evidence, while. A hundred years after the russian revolution, history, according to most historians, had pronounced its judgment. Stories and poems from the russian revolution edited by boris dralyuk, published by pushkin press. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account volume see other formats. Russian revolution 1917 score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The book makes the even more astonishing claim that at the beginning of 1917 the war was going well for russia and that, without a combination of circumstances. Lenins electoral strategy focuses on lenins approach to electoral politics and what he and other marxists terms the institutions of bourgeois democracy, drawing on bolshevik debates and marx and engels own writings to show this to be a central feature of their revolutionary strategy. New books reflect on the russian revolution, 100 years later. And to make this fully clear is the first task of a critical examination of the russian revolution. The events destroyed the tsarist autocracy, and helped create the soviet union.
In this work, russian revolution is used in the first sense, as the entire movement. Author of the only fulllength eyewitness account of the 1917 revolution, sukhanov was a key figure in the first revolutionary government. Note that due to the introductory nature of the book, there is very little by way of economic analysis, nor is any significant attention paid to developments in culture. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of people and events. The events destroyed the tsarist autocracy, and helped create the soviet union the first revolution was on 8 march 1917, but in russia it was recorded as 28 february 1917. The first revolution was on 8 march 1917, but in russia it was recorded as 28 february 1917. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the guardian. Russian revolution 19171921, 19171991 soviet union. The russian revolutions of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. Feb 01, 2011 i read both trotskys book and reeds around the same time in college, and i couldnt help but remark how similar they seemed. The russian revolution timeline the british library the british.
Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account. The russian revolution in 1917 was a monumental political and social transformation in russia, which brought down the autocratic monarchy. Lenin was again pressed to give up his policy of financial independence. What are the best nonfiction books on russian revolution. This bloody sunday was followed in succeeding months by a series of strikes, riots, assassinations, naval mutinies, and. I read both trotskys book and reeds around the same time in college, and i couldnt help but remark how similar they seemed. Of course, lenin springs to mind as the great leader of the revolution, but when he finally appeared, he had been out of the country for years. Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 1917. This is a concise introduction to the russian revolution from 1917 to 1945, that is, in the period prior to the cold war. The first one was that of the february revolution of. Nevertheless, there are plenty of texts on the subject.
Millions of russians had been either killed or wounded. The russian revolution was a series of revolutions in the russian empire during 1917. Verso books is the largest independent, radical publishing house in the englishspeaking world. Here he has produced a fine oldfashioned short narrative of the revolutions of februarymarch and october 1917. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. Ways and means were discussed to bring about greater unity. It is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause within russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. The russian revolution, 19171945 by anthony dagostino, 2011. What are the best nonfiction books on russian revolution of. The russian civil war lasts almost six years and ends in victory for the bolsheviks. The russian revolution of february, 1917 marc ferro. The russian people were angry at tsar nicholas ii for getting russia into the war.
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